SMU Students Analyze the 2012 Presidential Election

Indiana Students “Cast Their Ballots”

Students in Indiana schools are casting pretend ballots for President and Governor this week in the classroom. By law, Indiana is required to teach students about the election process two weeks prior to the general election.

To do this, the state created the Indiana Kid’s Election Program (IKE) to help facilitate the process. Schools are provided with materials to teach students how the election process works, and inform the students about the major issues affecting the race in the state.

At the end of the teaching process, classrooms turn into “polling centers” so students can experience what it is like to actually vote. The hope is that students will learn about the political process and become more likely to be politically involved and active.

This is a very creative way to remedy voter apathy that has plagued the United States. By getting students interested in the political process early on, they will be more likely to be involved in the future. Programs like this should definitely be considered for every state across the nation.